Warwick students forced to go vegan after minority vote

Warwick University has moved to ban meat and dairy products from its Student Union catering, despite less than 3% of the student body supporting the decision. 

During a student-held vote, pushed by the campaigning group Plant-Based Universities in November, 774 students voted in favour of a vegan diet. This accounts for just 2.7% of the 28,600 students at the university. A further 518 voted against the motion and 180 students abstained. 

The motion also suggested that plant-based diets were the only way to meet sustainability targets despite data showing that British meat is among the most sustainable in the world. 

The Countryside Alliance is now calling for students to back British farming and push for another vote. In doing so, Warwick would join Edinburgh University, which rejected a motion to mandate vegan menus at Student Association venues earlier this year. Last week. Cardiff University also rejected a motion that would have seen all union catering go 100% plant-based by the 2026-27 academic year. 

Sabina Roberts, a spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance, said: “Students shouldn’t let such a small cohort get away with isolating the wider student population. Students should take on their democratic duty and place forward a countermotion that keeps meat on the menu.”